


For my brothers

by Mony (Mony_Writes)



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Gen, kid!race
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:40:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26523064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mony_Writes/pseuds/Mony
Summary: Jack's gig at Race's disco leads to some brotherly love.------The idea of 6-year-old Race came to me and I couldn't leave it alone
Relationships: Crutchie & Jack Kelly, Crutchie & Racetrack Higgins, Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	For my brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk/prompt me over on my Tumblr @wide-eyed--wonderer !! And, as always comments/feedback are welcomed and appreciated!!

Realistically, Jack knew pretty much everyone in Races class. A side effect, he supposed, from being his little brother’s escort to school for the past year. 

But looking out onto the dance floor, where a bunch of six-year-olds were currently running around in Halloween costumes. Jack would be surprised if he could pick out Race, let alone any of the kids for his dance class. 

“Remind me again why I agreed to do this with you?” Charlie muttered to Jack, where he was sitting, taking a quick break from the kids. Jack has been hired (read guilted into through Race’s puppy dog eyes) face painting for the Halloween disco at his school, and had dragged Charlie, his other brother along. 

“Because you and I don’t know how to say no to Race when he turns those big blues on us.” Jack snorted. 

“Not true, I coulda told him I was hanging out with Finch tonight if I wanted to.” Charlie protested. 

“Keep telling yourself that Charlie.” Jack tussled his hair affectionately. “Now come on, we have more children’s face to paint!” 

“You have more children faces to paint. I’m just here to keep them entertained while they wait for you.” 

“What can I say, I’m in popular demand!” 

Just as they sat down, Batman came running up to them. 

“Jack, Jack, Jack, you have to paint Joesph face!! Please!” 

“Of course I can paint your friends face.” Jack got down on the kids level and squinted, “Romeo.” He said triumphantly. 

“Awesome, I’ll go get him!” And with that, Batman (Romeo) ran away. 

“Jackie, how often have you driven Romeo home? And it took you that long to figure out who he was?” 

“At this point Charlie, I’m not sure if this room of strangers, or if I just can’t recognise anyone because of the costumes.” 

“You’re hopeless.” 

“Hey, it’s hard! They’ve all got masks and sh- stuff one.” Jack winced as Charlie slapped him in the arm lightly for his almost slip up. 

“Jack, these are small children! Language!”

Luckily, Romeo came back with Joesph and saved Jack from Charlie’s adult.

“Jack, this is my friend Joesph. He was in my class last year, so you don’t know him. Joseph, this is Race’s biggest brother Jack.”

The kid waved shyly at Jack.

“Hi Jack” he mumbled. 

“Heya Jojo,” the nickname drew a big smile from the kid, so Jack decided to keep running with it. “So, what do you want painted on your face?”

“Ummm. Can I have a Spider-Man mask? To match my costume.” Jack looked down for the first time, noticing the kids Spider-Man costume. “Of course Jojo! You sit right here and I’ll get all my paints ready for ya.” Jack patted a stool and moved to grab his paints. 

15 minutes (and a very chatty Romeo, who had been taking Charlie’s ear off) Jack was holding up a mirror to Jojo’s face. 

“Did I do a good job kid?” Jack loved this part. He watched as Jojos eyes got big as he took in his Spider-Man mask face paint. 

“Wow! Thanks so much, Jack! C’mon Romeo, let’s go show everyone!” And with that Jojo grabbed Romeo hand and ran back into the group of 1st graders. 

“Man Romeo can talk.” Charlie moaned quietly, once he was sure the boys were far enough away. 

“You should hear him and Racer in the car together after school.”

“Yeah, I’ll pass.” 

By the end of the night, Jack would swear he had painted every first grader’s face and was very tired, but extremely happy. Especially whenever he got the chance to look over and catch Race’s face. The kid looked like he was having a ball, dancing away with all his friends. 

“Thanks for all this Jackie.” Jack looked over quizzically at Charlie, who had snuck back next to him after he’d disappeared to ‘go to the bathroom’ 15 minutes ago.

“What are you thanking me for Charlie? I dragged you along to this, remember?” 

“Not for dragging me here dumbass. For taking Race and I in. I know you had to give up a lot for us. So, yeah. I’m just saying thanks.”

Jack let out a sigh and wrapped his arm around Charlie’s shoulders, drawing him in close to the side, taking the weight off his bad leg and giving him a kiss on his hair. 

Charlie wasn’t wrong. It’s been hell to get custody over his brothers. He had to give up college and had taken on two jobs (plus the unofficial stuff he got from helping Davey’s mum out, he knew it was poorly disguised pity money, but he wasn’t really in a place where he could really refuse that. And she insisted he did help her).

Jack had been 19 when he was granted full custody over his brothers. Charlie was 13 at the time, and Race was 4. But now, 2 years later, Jack had managed to get a stable enough part-time job to go back and finish his college degree, and (all things going well) he would graduate at the end of the following semester. 

It’d all been hard but Jack knew he’d do it all again to keep his two baby boys in his life. 

“Jackie,” a little voice mumbled, tugging on Jack’s pant leg. Jack looked down to see Race, eyes drooping closed. “I’m t’red. Can we go home now.” 

Jack let go of Charlie and reached down to scoop Race up in his arms. 

“Of course baby.” With Race settled in his arms, Jack made his way toward the door, smiling when he saw Charlie carrying his painting stuff.

Yeah, Jack would do it all again.


End file.
